Silver Shadow
by Ashanmorre
Summary: For so long I played a dangerous game, unable to sever my ties to either side. When the dark lord fell, I lost everything: my friends, my teacher and master, my girlfriend, my bother… my nephew. They locked me away, but now I'm free. My name is Jade Potter, the Dark Lord's apprentice and the Savior's guardian. AU, Grey!Harry, Slash and FemSlash.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: So this is my first chaptered fanfiction, i appreciate any and all constructive review, but please, no flames. I am in school and so can't make any promises about when updates will be, sorry about that. This Story will contain both girl/girl and boy/boy pairings but nothing explicit. if you don't like that, then there are plenty of other fics on the web. Otherwise, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately cannot make any claim of ownership to anything that is Harry Potter.**

Prologue

Sirius Black remembered each and every arrival to his cellblock in the weeks following That Night, after all, there weren't all that many alternative forms of entertainment in a place like Azkaban. Barty Crouch Jr. was already half gone, sobbing and moaning, they had to literally drag him in. Rabastan Lestrange had been muttering, while his brother Rudolphus wore an expressionless mask, though his eyes gave away his fear. Bellatrix had cackled. But none had made such an impression on him as Jade Potter.

Sirius would be the first to admit that his best friend's elder sister was one damn confusing individual. Old Charlus Potter, despite his Light leanings, had raised his kids neutrally, making it clear to them from the start that they were free to choose for themselves what side they would support. It was an old family tradition, one that had resulted in the family having a somewhat… colorful background. No one was particularly surprised when Jade chose Dark, the nature of her magic had been almost obvious; no, what surprised them was how she handled it. She was sorted into Slytherin, yet dated and eventually bonded with a half-blood witch from Hufflepuff. She was best friends with Bellatrix Black, yet insisted on getting a drivers license and went to muggle university. She became the Dark Lord's apprentice, yet upheld the family motto of "Family First" and remained close with her bother and his family all through the war, right up until the very end. Apparently she had made it clear to her Master, from the time she accepted his offer when she was fifteen, that she would not harm or sever ties with her family, and had then somehow gotten him to agree to those terms.

Most didn't know about her apprenticeship of course; she presented an almost flawless public face. With the Potters being one of those families that allowed an eldest daughter to inherit before a younger son, so long as their spouse took the Potter name, Jade had had a obligation to uphold the responsibilities of Lady Potter, and for the most part, she was damn good at it. Fortunate, since James admittedly didn't have the head for finance and politics the position required. As far as Sirius knew, the public had never gotten so much as a hint that she was in fact the infamous Silver Shadow, thus named because of her very effective use of blades. The last thing many an auror saw was a shadow and a flash of silver. Only a handful of people outside of the Death Eaters knew of her dual identity, and they either couldn't or wouldn't tell. James himself had made Sirius swear a blood-oath of secrecy when he found out. Because of her elevated status she didn't even have a proper Dark Mark.

So it was not altogether unreasonable that Sirius couldn't for the life of him figure out how the hell the Aurors had known to go after her, let alone manage to _catch_ her. To be blunt, Jade was scary as hell as far as Sirius was concerned. She was intelligent, cunning, powerful and highly skilled in both muggle and magical fighting, after all, one didn't rise to her rank in the Death Eaters on reputation alone, and though Voldemort was undeniably an evil bastard, he had trained her well. Her Draconian blood also gave her some extra advantages. And she had a temper fearsome enough to cow even Lucius Malfoy. Knowing this, the grim animagus had a hard time imagining them taking her in anything resembling a fair fight, and if what he saw now was any indication, it was **bad**.

Jade didn't have any visible wounds, but then, she always did heal fast (one of those extra advantages). She walked proudly, confidently, with steady steps and impeccable posture, as befitting her station; it looked almost as if she was leading the guards, rather than the other way around, and her face was set in a stony mask. The image was almost perfect, except for her eyes. They were the same very dark green with flecks of black and gold, but the vibrant emotion that they had always held was gone, replaced with a haunted, deadened look. Sirius shivered, there were only two things he could think of that would make her look like that, and neither were something he wanted to think about.

To his surprise, the guards unlocked the cell next to his and across from Bella's (whom he noted was also paying rapt attention), the one he had a small, barred window into, and pushed her in. She turned and watched impassively as they locked her in and walked away, only after they were out of sight did she move, taking a seat across from the inter-cell window with her knees bent, arms resting atop them, and starred unseeing at the back wall of her cell. Sirius pulled himself closer to the window, grabbing the bars.

"Jade, Jade Potter." He called softly. When she didn't respond he decided to try a different tactic.

"Katana." He whispered, using her Death Eater code name that she had confided to him and James only a few months prior. Instantly her head snapped around, eyes locking on Sirius' own. The animagus gulped, if she was responding to that name, and not her given one…. This was _very_ bad.

"What happened?" he asked softly, dreading the answer. Her response was only three words, three words said in a dead monotone that made his heart clench.

"They killed her." With that she turned away, once again lapsing into silence and starring at the wall. In the cell across from hers Sirius saw Bella withdraw, a hint of sadness in even her eyes. He turned away from the window, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes. There was only one person that Jade could be talking about: Callista Shade, or Callie as most called her, Jade's long-time girlfriend and bond-mate. This was one person whom Sirius could honestly say had done nothing to deserve death, nothing but love someone on the loosing side. The killing had to have been in cold blood, because Callie was as innocent as any adult could be. She was one of those people that were pretty much impossible to hate. Gentle, calm, loving and kind, she was the perfect balance to Jade's dark sarcasm, serious nature and violent temper. She pretty much embodied the Hufflepuff ideals of hard work and loyalty, making her a beloved friend and sister and valued co-worker. She hadn't had any enemies.

The Shades were an old family, but a mixed one, being pretty much indiscriminate about relationships and marrying whoever the hell they wanted to, making Callie a half-blood. Despite this, Sirius knew that no one among the Death Eaters would _dare_ harm her for fear of what Jade would do to them in response, which meant it had to have been either an auror or an Order member. That thought made him slightly sick. He knew why they had done it, but that if anything, made it worse. Draconians were humanoid creatures that had some of the traits of, and could turn into, dragons. They were temperamental and dangerous, but they were also social beings that formed deep emotional family bonds. When a Dracos took a mate they formed a powerful psychic and magical bond with them, their version of a marriage. The breaking of this bond, for any reason, was said to be excruciatingly painful. Jade was technically James's half-sister; her mother had been a half-Dracos (who apparently expressed as a quarter), but she had died in childbirth and Charlus had remarried to Dorea, James's mother. Jade was technically a quarter-Dracos, but the gene was strong in her, being fed by the Dracos blood far back in the Potter lineage, and she expressed as a half, more than enough to form a bond with Callie. Killing her mate to incapacitate her… effective or no, it was a cold-hearted, despicable act.

Even so, Sirius could not help but be the least bit relieved, because this meant that it wasn't the other possibility. '_It wasn't Harry'._ Right as he thought this, he got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Sirius hadn't been too concerned for his godson when they first threw him in here, because he knew that Jade would look out for him, and Dark as she was, she would do right by him. She would look after him fiercely and give him the same neutral upbringing she had, letting him choose sides for himself when he was old enough. But now Jade was in Azkaban, which prompted a rather disturbing thought.

_'If Jade's in here, who's looking after Harry?'_

* * *

Jade stayed near catatonic for three days after her arrival, and when she finally did speak, Sirius could have howled in relief, if not for what she said.

"We were ambushed." She said softly and without preamble, startling Sirius into paying attention.

"I'd finally found out where the old coot took harry, and we were going to collect him, we were just exiting the apartment when the spells started flying." She closed her eyes briefly and shook her head. "I fought back of course, but we were outnumbered. They must have sent at least a dozen aurors, and I had to stick to non-lethals since I was unmasked." Here she stopped and gave a bitter little laugh. "Callie didn't even send a single hex, she just shielded us… but you can't shield against _that_ spell."

She looked so broken that Sirius almost didn't ask the next question, but he had to know… "Did you see who did it?" he almost whispered. Jade's eyes suddenly blazed with anger and hatred, her pupils going silted like a dragon's, while a snarl twisted on her face and her nails turned into sharp black claws. Sirius was almost relieved; this was the most emotion she had shown since getting here.

"Oh, I saw." She hissed. "It was _Moody_." She spat the name like it was a curse. Moody was a long-standing battlefield rival of hers. She was the one who put out his eye. He had crossed the line though, and Sirius had no doubt that if Jade ever got out of here, Moody was a dead man. It might not happen right away, but eventually, he would die by her hand. The girl could hold a grudge.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself, the dragon features disappearing, before she continued. "When she went down, so did I. The _pain_ Sirius, it felt like my very essence was being torn in two." The last part was said in a near whisper, as she clenched her fists and screwed her eyes shut.

"Then they threw me in here though, didn't even bother with a trial, just like you." She continued, and Sirius felt a sharp stab of pain at those words. Then suddenly she let out a snort and a sarcastic laugh.

"Joke's on them though," she said caustically, and Sirius frowned in confusion. "Once Daemon finds out what they did, it's just a matter of time." And then Sirius understood. Daemon Faey was a full-blooded black-fire Dracos, Patriarch of the Dark Wing Clan, one of the largest and most powerful Clans in Europe… and Jade's grandfather. He most definitely wouldn't be pleased with his granddaughter's treatment. Between her status as a Lady of an Ancient and Noble House, his influence, Callie's death and the fact that due process hadn't been observed… yeah, it was only a matter of time.

"You know," she said after a few moments "I might be able to spring you, after I get out." She offered. "After all, you didn't get a trial either, and you're not even guilty."

"I'd like that." He said quietly. "Thank you." She met his eyes and nodded.

"Me too!" Bellatrix called out, sounding like a petulant child. Jade chuckled lowly and shook her head before calling back.

"You confessed Bella!" She said with a hint of exasperation. "You're stuck in here until our Lord returns, nothing I can do about it!" The Dark witch pouted and withdrew further into her cell.

"Are you really so sure he'd coming back?" Sirius asked softly.

"Yes, I am." She answered. They fell silent again after that.

* * *

They developed an odd little routine thereafter. The next day Sirius woke up as Padfoot to actual _light_ and a bit of honest to Merlin _warmth._ He changed back and looked over to seen Jade playing with a _handful of fire_. He just stared for a few moments before smacking his forehead as he remembered that pyrokinesis was a Draconian ability. Jade just gave him a small smile, brushing some of her wavy black hair out of her eyes. That was how they discovered that Dragon Fire helped stave off the effects of the dementors.

Each day Jade would light her fire for a little while. She couldn't keep it up for very long since Azkaban wasn't exactly conducive to good health, but even the hour or so they got was a help. During this time, the three of them, Sirius, Jade and Bella, would talk for a bit. Rudolphus and Rabastan would even join in on occasion. They exchanged war stories, or childhood memories, or even just happy memories that they didn't want to slip away. The conversations weren't always pleasant of course, they had their fair share of arguments, and when Jade revealed Harry to be at Petunia's Sirius went on a rather spectacular rant that actually garnered _applause_ from Bella. Still, Sirius found that the talking actually did help him maintain his sanity, despite the fact that he was having semi-civil conversations with _Bellatrix Lestrange_ of all people.

Every day like clockwork, as the day turned to night, Jade would turn one fingernail into a claw and scour a tally on her cell wall, to keep track of the days. Sirius once asked her why she did it, and she said that having a sense of time helped her stay sane. He couldn't really argue with that. If it helped, it was a good thing.

As the months marched on though, Jade's strength began to wane, and the fire time and conversations grew shorter. Sirius began to worry about her. Dracos were wild creatures; they didn't do well in confined spaces. This place could very well kill her if Daemon took too long. Despite that though, she did everything she could to stay fit, from wandless magic exercises to pushups and crunches; it was rather impressive.

It was in one of their shorter conversations, after Jade had been there for a long time, that Sirius finally voiced something he had been wondering about for a while. The two women were comparing times they had seen lesser Death Eaters humiliate themselves in front of Voldemort (some of which were simply ridiculous). There was a lull in the conversation and Sirius jumped in.

"That's why I could never understand why you joined Him." He said to Jade.

" What?" she asked, tilting her head.

" I could never imagine you groveling to anyone." He explained. Instantly her eyes narrowed, turning dragon-like, and she stiffened.

"I _never. Groveled_." She said coldly, before turning her back to him and putting out her handful of flames. She didn't speak to him for the rest of the day. It was only later that night, after she had fallen asleep, that Bella spoke up.

"She didn't, you know." She said in a surprisingly sane, quiet voice, looking over at Jade's sleeping form.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"Groveled." She clarified. "She never groveled. Far from it actually, she was the only one of us who ever had real, normal conversations with the Dark Lord. She was the only one who could get away with teasing him. Sometimes she even argued with him." She continued, a tone of awe in her voice. "A sight to behold really."

Bella sighed and met Sirius' eyes. "I know he never really cared about us," she said ruefully, "not personally. He's our leader, and we were soldiers, assets, nothing more." She paused, and then continued in a softer voice. "But he was always looking out for her," she said fondly, looking at Jade almost tenderly, "concerned for her safety, her health, even her happiness. You could see it in his eyes, when she came back injured, or did something truly impressive; he cared about her, as much as he could care about anybody."

Bella fell silent after that; still watching her old friend sleep, and Sirius withdrew to the back corner of his cell to digest what he had learned, before changing into Padfoot for the night. That was the most same he had ever heard his cousin, and indeed, that sanest he ever would see her.

* * *

It was some time after that incident, nearly five years since Jade had first been thrown in her cell, that the guards finally came to collect her. The old warden who looked after their block (and took significantly better care of his prisoners than other wardens in other cellblocks did for theirs) unlocked her cell, the ministry escorts shifting from foot to foot nervously behind him.

"Come on, Princess," he said. The guy had nicknames for all of them; Sirius' was "playboy". "You're getting outa here. Don't belong here anyway." The old timer had always had a soft spot for Jade.

Jade got to her feet, nodding to the Lestrange brothers and giving Bellatrix a small smile as she exited. She reached through the bars and squeezed Sirius' hand, giving him a nod to show she hadn't forgotten the promise she had made all those years ago. With that, she turned and strode out down the hall with her head up like she owned the place, just like she had when they brought her in, except this time her eyes were alive.

Sirius slid down the wall chuckling as they vanished from sight. Lady Jade Potter was free; he wondered if the wizarding world would survive, though at this point he really didn't care if she trashed the Ministry. It might be an improvement. He did hope she would hurry though.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: As you probably noticed, this chapter is written in first person, i've decided that from here on out anything in Jade's POV will be first person, while all other characters (including Harry) will be in third person. I'm sorry if this bothers you, but that's how I'm writing it. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:** See prologue

Chapter 1

I knew I must have looked crazy, standing there on the sidewalk, starring at the street corner as if it was the entrance to some untold hell, but I didn't care. After all, it sort of was, a personal hell, except it shouldn't have been. If I turned that corner, then I would be on _our_ street, the street on which Callie and I had bought our apartment, the home we had made together… and the street on which she had been murdered.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself, knowing that once I turned that corner it would all come rushing back, the good and the bad. I didn't know which I dreaded more, the reminders of what I had lost, or of how I had lost it. I had to do this though; if I was going to claim Harry then I needed a home to take him to. James' and Lily's cottage in Godric's Hollow was in ruins and while I could have moved into Potter Manor, that still felt like my parent's house, and was far too large for just the two of us. The foreign properties were out as well, given the responsibilities I had here. I'd been gone long enough as it was.

After my release the ministry had wanted to send me to St. Mungo's, but Daemon had interceded and taken me back to the Clan instead. I'd spent the past two months recuperating under the watchful care of my grandfather, my cousin Emily, and the Clan healer, Anise. I'd been pretty much confined to the Home Valley, and all my protests that I needed to find Harry had fallen on deaf ears. Anise had been adamant that I stay put until I had regained my health and my strength, and honestly, that was one woman I really didn't want to piss off. Anise was one of the oldest Dracos I had ever met, and considering full blooded Dracos had obscenely long lifespans, that was saying something. She looked to be about seventy by human standards, which meant she was at least a good six hundred if not more. Despite that (or perhaps because of it), she was rather formidable. Most the time she acted like a friendly, if eccentric grandmother, but get her angry, or disobey her 'doctor's orders', and she made Madam Pomfrey look soft. She had finally given me my clean bill of health three days ago, and I had wasted no time.

Daemon had of course offered Harry and me a place with the Clan, but that too wasn't really a viable option. Oh sure it was a convenient fallback should we need a safe-haven, but as much as I loved the Clan, it wasn't where we belonged. Harry was human, and as such would need a human upbringing. He needed to know the world to which he belonged, and the people who inhabited it, and while I was half Dracos, I was also half human, and it was that world I had been born into. I had responsibilities here, and a life I had to rebuild, besides, Callie would never forgive me if I let those bastards drive us from our home. Daemon had also offered to come with me for this, as had Emily, but I had declined; this was something I had to do on my own.

I turned the corner. Everything was almost exactly as I had remembered it, from the cobblestone streets and narrow sidewalks, to the large old brick buildings, to the convenience store across the street. Our apartment was not some ritzy penthouse in the middle of the City; we hadn't been looking for an 'impressive' home after all. Back then we had been just a couple of college students, even if I had been apprenticed to the Dark Lord. We had just been looking for somewhere we could be happy, which is how we had ended up here. Callie had fallen in love with this neighborhood the moment she had seen it. It was built on the old wharves, and most the buildings were renovated warehouses. The streets were thin and windy and cobblestoned; there were small harbors and bridges scattered about; it was a ten-minuet walk to the Tower of London and our balcony looked out over the Thames. It was a charming, peaceful neighborhood, and we had been happy here.

Now though, as I rounded the slight bend and caught sight of our building I was hit with a sharp pang of grief, followed by the memory of the pain that came with the breaking of our bond. It was only a faint echo really, compared to the excruciating agony of that day, but it served to put that event at the forefront of my mind. I could see it all; us back to back in front of the entrance, aurors, many of them Order members, surrounding us. In my mind I saw the green light and watched Callie fall, then myself following a moment later, clutching my chest and screaming, draping myself over her body and sobbing.

I shook myself out of the memory, letting the pain turn to anger. It was a tactic my master had taught me, a way to survive the horror that was war. This was the most personal instance I had ever had to use it in. Still, it helped, I'd done my grieving already after all, five years in Azkaban, there wasn't much else to do there anyway, aside from talking to Sirius and Bella that is. Now though… it was time to move on, that's what Callie would have wanted. So I straightened up and entered the building.

The guard at the lobby desk looked up when the door opened and froze. I supposed that was understandable, I _had _been gone for five years.

"Hello Hector." I said with a small smile. He just starred for a moment before pulling himself together.

"Miss. Jade." he said with a nod and a smile of his own. "It's good to see you back."

"Good to be back." I returned softly before nodding to him and heading up the three flights of stairs to our apartment. I could have taken the elevator, but that just didn't feel right, not today. On the landing I hesitated for one minute outside the door before tuning the key and opening it. It was exactly as I remembered it. One of the Family house elves must have been taking care of the place because there wasn't a speck of dust to be seen, if anything it looked cleaner. I entered fully, placing my purse on the coffee table and looking around.

Our apartment wasn't a mansion, but it wasn't small either, we had intended to build a family here after all. It was however, fully equipped with electricity and all the normal modern muggle devices, it even had a security system! The place had two bedrooms and a bath, on the short hall to the right as you exited the foyer, and a living room, kitchen and dining room area in the 'middle' where the ceiling was extra high, the third, master bedroom, with en-suite bath was in the loft up the spiral staircase on the right of the living room. The best part though was the two extra rooms to the left. The one that looked out over the river had been Callie's ceramics studio, fully equipped; kiln, wheel, the whole nine yards, she could spend hours on end in there. The other was my training room, in the back of which was a concealed magic-reinforced steel vault that held my weapons.

I walked through each room, making sure nothing was missing or broken, but it all seemed fine. A quick check assured me that either the aurors hadn't found, or couldn't get into the vault. Everything was there and it hadn't been opened. I hadn't really expected anything else after all the work I put into that thing, but it never hurt to be thorough. I saved Callie's studio for last, knowing it would be the hardest. It looked the same, right down to the unfinished pots on the shelf by the kiln, and yet, it was obvious that the _life_ was gone from it. I went back out into the living room, closing the door behind me.

It was strange, I thought, looking around. Here, in this place, the memory of her was so clear, so sharp, and yes it hurt, but it was almost a good sort of pain, like after a good workout… or the ache of a healing wound. _'I needed this.'_ I thought. Some part of me had needed to come back, to acknowledge what was gone so I could move on; and even though the memories were painful, they were_ good_ memories, and some day the pain would fade, and I could look back on them with a smile. This was still my home, and I wasn't going to let it go any time soon.

* * *

A day later I found myself outside of Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surry. The house was almost identical to all the others on the street, just another cookie-cutter copy, not especially ugly or pleasing. The entire neighborhood just screamed conformity, almost the exact opposite of my own street with it's humble past and antique feel. Something about this place just rubbed me the wrong way, it felt so… soulless, as if the inhabitants were trying to erase their individuality, like they wanted to be just another part of the masses. The only thing different about Number 4 was the slight charge to the air: the blood wards I could sense when I reached out with my own magic.

I couldn't help the small smirk that crept over my face at that. The old coot had hidden Harry behind blood wards. Oh sure they were marvelous at keeping people out… except when the person you wanted to stay away was in fact a blood relation. I knew that wasn't the only reason Harry was here though; if it had only been a matter of safety then Dumbledore wouldn't have removed Sirius from the picture, the Black wards were all but legendary after all, second only to the Potter wards and Hogwarts itself. No, I could only imagine one reason why he had placed my nephew with muggles, especially muggles like these: he wanted him ignorant. It made sense in a twisted sort of way; if Harry had no prior knowledge of his world or heritage, then Dumbles could control what Harry learned and how; he could shape him into his perfect little savior.

He had miscalculated though; he hadn't anticipated me getting out, much less with a full pardon and reparations. I was about to gleefully smash all his carefully laid plans to smithereens. I smiled a little at the thought before schooling my features into a stony mask and walking up to the door. I felt the blood wards shudder as I passed them, but since I didn't mean Harry any harm and was in fact a blood relative, they let me pass without issue. After I knocked on the door a man inside yelled "Dudley get the door!" before it was opened by a young boy who looked about six, resembled a blond pig and smelled strongly of sweets.

"Who are you?" he asked with a frown. _'Must be the cousin'_ I thought while inwardly cringing at his manners before answering.

"My name is Jade." I told him. "I'm here to speak with your parents. Are they home?" I asked, though I knew perfectly well that they were. I could make out four fresh and distinct human scents, indicating that everyone was at home. One of those scents carried the charge of magic. He frowned again before turning around and heading back into the house, leaving the door open.

"Mum, Dad, there's some lady here to see you." He called. I heard the sound of someone very large getting up off a couch as I stepped into the house. Then a man with an uncanny resemblance to a walrus whom I vaguely recognized from James' and Lily's wedding came into the hall.

"Whatever you're selling we are no-" he broke off abruptly when he saw me. "_You" _he hissed, just as Petunia came around the corner and let out a small shriek at the sight of me, clutching her oversized son close.

"Get out of my house!" Vernon demanded taking what he probably thought was a threatening step towards me. "We don't want anything to do with your lot!"

"And I don't want anything to do with yours either." I shot back calmly. "I've just come for my nephew, where is he?" I asked, looking around.

"He's not here." Petunia said tremulously. _'Liar'_ I thought. I was about to make a demand when I heard a small whimper, so quiet that no human would have heard it, coming from the cupboard under the stairs. I froze, nostrils flaring as I traced the magical scent I had picked up earlier to that same spot, while my hearing focused in and picked up the sound of a small heartbeat and shallow, nervous breaths.

My wand was in my hand in an instant, flicking out and immobilizing the three muggles as I approached the cupboard. Hesitantly I slid the lock aside and opened the door. What I saw horrified me more than any of my master's torture sessions ever did. The small space had obviously been turned into some sort of living quarters; there were a few trinkets, some ratty cloths and blankets and a small, bloodstained cot, above which was a sign written in crayon that read 'Harry's Room". And there, sitting on that cot was my nephew. He looked so much like I remembered James did at that age, with his mother's emerald eyes starring up at me. But James had never had that fearful, haunted, _broken_ look in his eyes, nor had he been so _small_. As if the look in his eyes and his size weren't enough, Harry was almost skeletally thin and his skin was patterned with bruises where the oversized rags he was wearing didn't cover it, interspaced with the odd burn or cut scar. The smell of blood and urine in the small space told me that he likely wasn't let out regularly either.

The sight made my blood boil and I had to fight to keep my eyes from changing or my nails elongating into claws. I wanted to turn around and destroy the elder Dursleys; I wanted to growl and shout and do something extremely reminiscent of my master in a rage, but I couldn't. Harry had flinch back just from the cupboard door opening; I knew any sign of anger or aggression would be interpreted as being directed at him. I knew how to handle this kind of situation, I'd done it before after all.

Most people believed the Dark Lord to be completely amoral, devoid of any form of conscience. They were wrong. It wasn't so much that he didn't have morals, it was just that those morals didn't match up with most people's own ideals. One thing he was absolutely unmovable on though was child abuse. He didn't harm children. Sometimes he would kill them, rather than leave them orphaned, but it was always a quick, painless death. I had eventually learned it was in part due to his own childhood, but the fact remained that in this, he showed his morals. Anyone who was even remotely tied to him who was found to be a child abuser was killed. Horrifically. No exceptions.

It didn't happen often, given that child abuse was one of the most heinous crimes one could commit in our world, but it happened enough. When it did, the Dark Lord also made sure the child was removed from the situation and properly looked after. Over the years I had become the one in charge of the extractions, and of taking care of the child until they could be placed. I had also taken it upon myself to monitor their situation after that and check up on them. I had actually been planning on going through the list and checking in on each of them in the coming months; now though, I knew I would be too busy healing Harry, at least at first.

I knew how to handle this though, as much as I hated the necessity of it. I put away my wand and knelt down slowly, not making any sudden movements. Schooling my face to show only calm concern, I spoke softly, gently, not wanting to scare him.

"Harry?" I asked quietly, not going on until he had looked up and met my eyes. "You probably don't remember me, but my name is Jade, I'm your father's sister." He still seemed hesitant, and confused, but I could see what I thought was a spark of recognition and hope in his eyes.

"He used to call me Tempest." I added, using the nickname James had given me when we were children; back then he said it was because of my 'stormy temper'. That did it though; Harry recognized the name.

"Tem'y?" he asked, falling back on his one-year-old pronunciation. I just nodded, my eyes tearing up a bit, and suddenly my arms were full of sobbing, fragile six-year-old. I just held him gently, while inwardly cursing at just how _thin_ he was.

"Are you here to save me?" he asked, voice breaking.

"Yes Baby," I whispered, "I'm here to take you home."

* * *

Sometime later, after I had Harry calmed down and sitting on the couch (the Dursleys were still immobilized) I stepped out into the back yard, making sure he could still see me, but not hear me. I took out the cell phone Emily had bought me a week prior and punched in a number I had long since memorized. I just hoped she hadn't changed it.

"Hello?" she answered, and I sighed at the familiar voice.

"Andy it's Jade, I need a favor," she hesitated for a moment, but that was expected, given the circumstances. I didn't think she would turn me away though. I was one of only a handful of people who had actually managed to stay friendly with all three Black sisters, even after Andromeda's marriage. I had refused to take sides, and no one could really force me to. I'd never regretted that decision. Andy had been my legal council before Azkaban, and she was a damn good barrister, aside from being a genuinely nice person outside of the courtroom. It was always beneficial to have friends like that.

"What can I do?" she finally asked. I smiled.

"How soon can you be a Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surry?" I asked her. I could almost hear the frown in her voice as she answered.

"Fifteen minutes if I hurry." She said.

"Good. Get here and bring a camera and vials for pensieve memories." I told her. She hesitated a minuet before asking the question I knew was coming.

"Jade, what's going on?"

I smirked. "I'm charging Albus Dumbledore with kidnapping, criminal negligence and endangering a minor," I told her. "And Lily's sister and brother-in-law with child abuse." She sucked in a shocked breath, immediately understanding the implications.

"You know the charges against the headmaster will never stick…" She cautioned in a shaky voice.

"I know." I answered. "But this _will_ hurt him. I don't have to ruin him just yet," I said with a feral smile. "I just have to make god bleed."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Just a note on point of view, I will be using multiple perspectives throughout this story. Jade's POV will be written in first person, while all others will be in third. If this bothers anyone, well, it's not like you had to pay for this. **

**Disclaimer: See Prologue **

Chapter Two

Amelia Bones looked up as a knock sounded on her office door. She hadn't been expecting anyone for a meeting, but she couldn't honestly say she was surprised; being the head of the DMLE often brought unexpected visits as things that had to be dealt with directly came up.

"Enter." She called, and immediately her secretary, Mia, poked her head in.

" Andromeda Tonks is here to see you ma'am." She said. "She insists it's urgent."

Amelia suppressed the urge to sigh; she could wager a guess what this was about. Callie had been her cousin after all, and despite a three-year age difference, they were quite close growing up, which had unavoidably lead to a certain level of familiarity with one Jade Potter. Amelia had been devastated about Callie's death, and furious that Jade hadn't received a trial, and therefore had done her best to assist Daemon Faey when he had started his assault on the Wizengamot, despite the fact she was fairly certain Lady Potter was guilty. With Jade free though, things were bound to start getting interesting eventually, and given her old friendship with the Black sisters, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Andromeda would most likely represent her. The only question was, how far would she go?

"Send her in." She said. Mia nodded and stepped back so Mrs. Tonks could enter and then retreated, closing the door behind her. Andromeda looked as proper and put together as ever, business robes clean and neatly pressed, black curly hair pulled into an orderly but, but the grim set of her jaw and the slightly uneasy look in her grey eyes told Amelia that she wouldn't like whatever came next.

"Madam Bones." She said formally, with a respectful nod of her head as she made her way to stand in front of the desk. " We thought it best to bring this matter directly to you." She then placed he briefcase on the desk and extracted two folders and several vials of what looked like pensieve memories, handing them over to Amelia, who opened the first of the folders and began to read it over. The name of the claimant had been expected of course, but the she almost gasped when she read the offender's name.

"You can't mean to tell me that Lady Potter seriously means to charge _Albus Dumbledore_ with _kidnapping_ of all things!" she exclaimed, looking up at Andromeda in disbelief. She had been expecting Jade to sue for custody of her nephew, but this, this was monumentally more problematic.

" Of that and more." The Barrister replied grimly. "And the rest is even worse." A knot of worry forming in her stomach, Amelia began to go through the rest of the file. The reasoning behind the kidnapping charge was sound enough, but the next two charges were worrisome. Criminal negligence and endangerment of a minor, never a good combination. Hesitantly, she moved to the next folder, hoping, no praying, that her suspicions were wrong. They weren't. The contents of the next folder made her stomach churn and her blood boil in anger. She had dealt with cases of child abuse before of course, but no matter what people said it never got any easier.

Andromeda spoke up again as Amelia closed the second file. "As I'm sure you have discerned," she said, "this case will require no small amount of discretion."

Madam Bones closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "I can't imagine we will actually manage to convict Dumbledore of anything." She said tiredly.

"My client is aware of that." Andromeda replied. "They are more a statement than anything else."

" Of course they are." Amelia said, shaking her head. As explosive as Jade's temper was, it in no way lessened her ability to play the long game, she hadn't been a Slytherin for nothing after all. Amelia may not know what Lady Potter would do next, but she was certain that this was but the first move in what was bound to be a very long, very bloody game.

" Very well," she said, "I'll do my best."

Andromeda nodded and made to leave, but she stopped before opening the door, looking back with her hand on the knob. "Also," she said with a mischievous sparkle in her eye, "It might interest you to know that Sirius Black never received a trial." With that she opened the door and took her leave, closing it softly behind her.

When she was gone, Amelia got up and went the mahogany cabinet on the side of the room to get the bottle of scotch she kept stashed there. She needed a drink. It would seem that her work was about to get a lot more complicated.

Albus Dumbledore had been having a perfectly good morning. It was a fine sunny day in mid April, the food was excellent as always, and for once there was a lull in the usual inter-house rivalry that made the general atmosphere of the school much more inviting. The only thing to trouble him of late had been Jade Potter's release. He had fought it of course, but given the fact that Daemon Faey was involved had had made her lack of a proper trial blatantly apparent, there was little he could do without loosing face. However, the girl had been out for more than two months and had not, as of yet, stirred up any trouble. He was not of course naïve enough to think this would last, but he was determined to enjoy every moment of blissful calm before the storm broke.

He suspected the first move would involve young Harry. Perhaps she would sue for custody, or perhaps the boy would simply disappear from his relatives. Either way, he was suspecting something subtle that would none the less come to his attention in an timely manner, and therefore was completely unprepared for the event that would disrupt his pleasant morning.

The doors to the great hall swung open and in marched in no less than four aurors, with none other than Amelia Bones at their head and Alastor nowhere in sight. This could be problematic for a number of reasons. Other, he could usually count on Alastor's support, the scarred old auror was steadfastly loyal to him after all, and lower ranked aurors he might have been able to manipulate into feeling sympathy or support for him, but not Madam Bones. The women was independent, strong-minded, and rigged in her beliefs, and with and with the Order's (particularly Alastor's) involvement in her cousins death, she was rather disinclined to trust the headmaster. Still, he would be on his best behavior.

"Madam Bones!" he said genially. "To what do we owe this pleasant surprise?" The women was obviously not fooled in the least as the only response was a thinning of her lips as she withdrew a scroll with an official Ministry seal from within her robes. She began to read as the four aurors she had brought with her drew their wands.

"Albus Dumbledore" she read in a proper business-like tone, " you are hereby under arrest for the kidnapping of one Harry James Potter on the night of October the 31st, 1981, and the endangerment of said child due to criminal negligence. You will surrender yourself to Ministry custody to await trial. If you resist we will use force."

If not for years of practice at hiding his reactions the headmaster would have paled. He had expected something quieter than this, something less public that he could counter without tarnishing his reputation. As it was though, he could not at the moment counter this, any attempt to resist would only cast him in a negative light. So instead, he amicably surrendered his wand and allowed his hands to be bound, all the while keeping a pleasant expression on his face. Inside though he was seething and planning furiously, knowing that the following weeks would most likely be anything but pleasant.

Remus Lupin sat down to breakfast at the rickety table in his shabby little kitchen in his apartment in what was a decidedly unsavory neighborhood in London, just as he always did. Obviously this was not the life he would have chosen, but the current werewolf legislation had made it all but impossible for him to hold a job in the wizarding world, while his lack of muggle records and monthly unavailability made working in the muggle world equally problematic. In days gone by there had been friends who would help him, people he could stay with if things got really bad, but now all the members of his pack were either dead or beyond reach.

He knew of course of Jade's release, even if the papers had not followed the case with something akin to obsession, he would have sensed it the moment she left that dreadful place. Not many people were interested in the actual facts of lycanthropy, and so the concept of a pack bond was not commonly known, that did not however, make it any less real. What people didn't realize was that a werewolf pack was more than a community, or even a state of mind. The fact was that when a werewolf took someone into their pack they formed a connection with them. If that person was not a werewolf himself or herself, then it was entirely one-sided, but the werewolf could still sense them, even in human form, he or she would always know if they were in pain or danger, or emotionally distressed.

Somehow, over the many years he had know the Potter family, the wolf had decided that Jade was part of the pack, just like Sirius and the Potters, while inexplicably (at least to Remus) not bonding to Peter in the same way. This of course meant that for the past five years, Remus had been sharply, painfully aware of just what Jade and Sirius were experiencing while locked up in Azkaban, because try as he might, he could not sever the bond, nor block out their pain. Jade's release had been a blessed relief, and the wolf had urged him to seek out this one remaining member of his pack that he could now get to, but he hadn't.

Honestly he didn't know how to do so. He was too conflicted about the whole thing, because rationally he knew that she did commit the crimes she was imprisoned for, and therefore _should_ be in jail, but even so, the more sentimental part of him was happy his friend wasn't suffering, and the selfish part of him was relieved he no longer had to feel that suffering, while the wolf just wanted his pack-mate back. The last was only intensified by the fact that Jade was the only member of his pack that could sense him in a way similar to how he sensed her as she had formed a Dracos Clan bond with him. It wasn't quite the same, but it was close enough, and meant he was pretty much incapable of keeping anything from her. He was being a bloody coward and he knew it, but what do you say to a friend who just got out of a sentence you knew they deserved?

All of that was about to change however, that was certain the moment the owl flew threw the window and landed in front of Remus, holding out it's leg so the werewolf could take the paper tied there. He paid the bird and untied the paper, taking a sip of his coffee as he began to read. That proved to be a mistake as he immediately started choking on said liquid when he saw the dual headlines.

**_Albus Dumbledore Charged With Kidnapping!_**

The first one blared, and right below it:

**_Boy-who-lived Abused?!_**

Remus read through both articles furiously, breakfast forgotten, then, having finished them, he stood up and strode out the door. If anyone had been around to notice, they would have seen his eyes glowing an eerie wolf-gold. Remus himself could not say weather it was the wolf or the man that had been in charge in that moment; all he knew was that he _had_ to find his pack-mate, had to help her and protect the pup, and anyone who got in his way was dead meat.


End file.
